Wandsworth

Located in Wandsworth, this project involved the substantial alteration and extension of an attractive Victorian semi-detached house in a conservation area. The building is unusual as it inhabits a crescent where the curve of the street creates a wedge-shaped building. A modest terrace at the front, the house expands to the width of five houses by the end of the garden. There is also a substantial change in level with the garden much lower at the rear than the front. The brief from the client was to modernise the building and create as much open space as possible within the constrained footprint.

After several options were considered and discussed, a solution was developed in discussion with both the planning authority and the clients to realise this ambition. The solution was to excavate fully under the footprint of the house and create a basement space, as well as a new extension which was increasingly open plan and glazed as the house increases in width to the rear.

The newly excavated basement would house a gym, media and playroom, an additional bedroom as well as a study and wine store, comprehensively changing the functionality of the house.
On the ground floor, the formal reception rooms to the front of the house were retained to create a formal living and dining space while the new extension to the rear was dedicated to a more informal and open plan living dining kitchen space.

From here a small exterior balcony leads down to the garden below, which is located at the intermediate level between the ground floor and basement, taking advantage of the natural level changes of the site.

This allows a garden view from the basement while the landscaping was carefully considered to allow the kitchen space to nestle within the canopy of the newly planted trees, looking out to a terrace built at the end of the garden which can take advantage of the evening sun.

The house itself was almost entirely rebuilt with the roof removed and raised a few brick courses to allow the attic rooms to be built to modern structural and insulating standards. All windows were replaced to be double glazed sashes or modern sliding glass, and thermal insulation added internally throughout. All services were upgraded including underfloor heating to the ground and basement floors and air conditioning to the bedrooms on the upper levels of the house.

Throughout this project, extra space is squeezed in wherever possible. The height and the angles of the extension, defined by the neighbouring properties required careful co-ordination of level changes within the property to make the most of the available volume. Several three-dimensional models were built to explore these options.

Equally a secluded roof terrace, carefully designed to not overlook the neighbours was negotiated through planning meaning that two external terraces are realised where previously there had only been one. Even a void below the pitched roof in the upper rooms is utilised as a secret room for the children, accessed through a wardrobe.

We worked closely with the client who had a strong influence on the interior design of the project, also working with their preferred contractor. We recommended and brought in our suppliers and consultants where required, co ordinating and directing the overall design to achieve the best possible result while accommodating as many of the client’s requirements as possible.